Hidden Heroes
by Shibalyfe
Summary: Neville explains to his child what it means to be a hero. Written for The Houses Competition: Y2R6.


House: Gryffindor

Position: Prefect 2 stand-in

Category: Short 2

Prompt: [First Line] "We all have a superhero inside us, I just needed to find mine."

Word Count: 1048 words, excluding header, author notes, and title.

Beta: CK and Tigger

A/N: This was written for The Houses Competition, Y2R6.

Hidden Heroes

"We all have a superhero inside us, I just needed to find mine."

"What do you mean, Daddy? You weren't always a hero?" The little boy scrunched his face in confusion.

"No," the man said patiently, "I wasn't. Some people are born into greatness and others are too afraid to try. Harry was always meant for greatness from the moment he acquired that scar, he was marked for something more. Hermione, of course, was just brilliant and Ron would do anything for them. He was willing to sacrifice himself for his friends. Anyone who knew them in school, knew they were going to defeat Voldemort. There was something about them, something… more. They were always surrounded by light; their auras, golden and shimmering. I wasn't like that. I didn't even have friends in my first year at Hogwarts."

The small child blinked up at him. "But you have lots of friends now."

He smiled at the child and scooped the boy into his arms and placed him on his lap. "Yes, now I do, but I didn't then. There weren't magical primary schools like there are now. I didn't get to go to school and make friends like you did. I had to stay at home all day with Gran." He rubbed the child's small back, hugging him close to his chest. "If you would have asked anyone in my school year, or anyone who knew me during that time, they would have told you that I was nobody and would never become _somebody_. I wasn't even good at magic! Everyone thought I was a Squib!"

The young boy looked up at him with wide eyes. "But you're the best at magic, Daddy!"

"I wasn't always," he said with a chuckle. "That just goes to show that with practice and determination, you can master any skill."

The boy agreed enthusiastically.

"I never had any self-confidence as a boy. I wasn't good in school, I didn't have any friends, and I was too scared to make any. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were always nice to me but they weren't my friends, not yet anyway. It wasn't until Auntie Luna and Auntie Ginny became friends with me that I started to gain some self-confidence. They helped me study, tutored me, and even though your Aunt Ginny was a year lower than me, she learned spells with Luna just so they could teach them to me. It was hard at first and I got teased mercilessly for only having girls as friends. I never stuck up for myself. I just let the taunts roll over me, but one day a group of kids were teasing your Aunt Luna. She always saw the world a little differently and the other kids didn't like that. They were circled around her, pushing her back and forth, from one kid to the next. I got so mad, I marched into the middle of the circle and yelled at them to stop. They just laughed at me, they didn't stop until I raised my wand at them. I pulled her out of the circle and you want to know what your Aunt Luna said?"

"What?!" the little boy asked eagerly.

"She said that no one had ever stuck up for her before."

"Really?" he questioned, "Why?"

The adult shrugged. "I don't know, but I do know that moment changed me. I knew that I had to stand up for her, to stand up for what I believed was right. I couldn't let others bully me or scare me anymore. Do you understand?"

The little boy bit his lip before shaking his head.

"Anyone can become a hero, they just need to have a reason to fight. My friends were my reason. They lent me their strength when I was faced with the greatest foe and their bravery only enhanced my own. It was because of them that I was able to wield the sword of Gryffindor. They are all the true heroes, the hidden heroes, of the war, the ones that supported and inspired others to fight. A couple names might be written in the history books and taught in class, but there were so many more names that deserve to be honored, so many more names of heroes that no one will ever know. You can be a hero, you just have to find your reason."

"You'll be my reason, Daddy! I'll fight for you."

He smiled and shook his head sadly. "Hopefully, you will never see bloodshed on a battlefield or have to raise your wand in violence. But being a hero doesn't mean fighting- it means loving. It means being a good friend. If Auntie Luna and Auntie Gin hadn't befriended me, I never would have found my reason. I would never have become the man that you learned about in school today. Never underestimate the power of friendship, my son. Promise me something?"

He got to his knees in front of his son and looked straight into the child's eyes. "Always be kind to everyone and extend your friendship to everyone; you never know when you could become a person's reason, a hidden hero."

The boy smiled and nodded his head. "Of course, Daddy!"

"Good," He smiled at his child and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Now run-along and play; it is a beautiful day out, just stay out of the greenhouse, please!" he called after the boy, his childish shrieks filled the air as he ran circles around the backyard.

He stood up and watched his child smile and giggle in the backyard. He hoped his son would never lose that happiness. He heard his wife approach from behind and quickly caught her in a warm embrace. He swung her around and planted a kiss on her lips. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his chest He propped his chin on top of her head and stared into the backyard. They both stood silently on the back patio, smiles adorning their faces and happiness swelling in their hearts.

The sun began to fade and the woman turned in his arms and framed his cheeks with her hands. She searched his eyes before planting a small kiss on his lips.

"You are my reason, Neville."


End file.
